MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Ongoing threats and persecution of Christians and other religious and ethnic communities in Syria – E-001399/2025

Question for written answer  E-001399/2025
to the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy
Rule 144
Nikolas Farantouris (The Left)

In the last twenty-four hours, images of the continued targeting of Christian and other religious communities in Syria by forces and extremists close to the al-Jolani regime have come to light. By way of illustration, on Sunday 6 April, Islamists invaded the Church of St George in the Greek Orthodox town of Budan [sic], doused the seats with petrol and planted explosive devices, which fortunately did not detonate. Other reports state that high-ranking Government officials from the Ministry of Interior – ‘former’ members of extremist organisations and Al-Qaeda – support terrorist attacks, such as the plan circulating online to bomb the Roman Catholic Church of the Virgin Mary in Tartus. It is clear that Alawites, Christians and other communities in Syria are under threat from the regime in Damascus. In these circumstances, the EU must urgently intervene to do what Jolani refuses to do, to protect the lives of all Syrians, regardless of religion.

Given the above:

• 1.Why is the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy not intervening decisively with the Government in Damascus, demanding the protection of Christian and other threatened communities?
• 2.Why is the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy not finally sending a team of observers to document the massacres and incidents of violence?
• 3.Why is the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy not coordinating a humanitarian aid mission to the threatened coastal areas, with the participation of Member States such as Greece, Cyprus, France and others, as requested by the representatives of the affected and terror-stricken areas?

Submitted: 7.4.2025